A resent research reported the comprehensive genomic characterization of squamous cell lung cancers.

Targeted kinase inhibitors have been successfully used for the treatment of lung adeno carcinoma but minimally so in lung SQCC. The observations reported here suggest that a detailed understanding of the possible targets in lung SQCCs may identify targeted therapeutic approaches. Whereas EGFR and KRAS mutations, the two most common oncogenic aberrations in lung adenocarcinoma, are extremely rare in lung SQCC, alterations in the FGFR kinase family are common. Lung SQCCs also share many alterations in common with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas without evidence of human papilloma virus infection, including mutation in PIK3CA,PTEN, TP53, CDKN2A, NOTCH1 and HRAS, suggesting that the biology of these two diseases may be similar.

The current study has identified a potentially targetable gene or pathway alteration in most lung SQCC samples studied. The data presented here can help to organize efforts to analyse lung SQCC clinical tumour specimens for a panel of specific, actionable mutations to select patients for appropriately targeted clinical trials. These data could thereby help to facilitate effective personalized therapy for this deadly disease.